Selection Eggplants are in season from August through October but can be found throughout the year.

When selecting eggplants, be sure that they are firm and heavy for their size. Their skin should be smooth and shiny and their color should be vivid. The stem and cap on either end of the eggplant should be bright green.

To test the ripeness, gently press the skin with the pad of your thumb and if it springs back it is ripe, if it doesn’t then it is not ripe.

Care and Storage Uncut and unwashed eggplant

should be placed in a plastic bag and put in refrigerator crisper where it will keep for a few days. If too big then place on shelf, do not force into drawer.

Eggplant is very perishable and should be stored at around 50 degrees. They are very sensitive to hot and cold.

Always wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing produce.

Amanda Miller

Extension Fond du Lac County

FoodWIse Coordinator and

Health & Wellbeing Educator

Phone: 920-929-3174

E-mail: amanda.m.miller@wisc.edu

Haley Madson

Director of Communication and Special Events, Downtown Fond du Lac

Phone: 920-322-2006 E-mail: market@downtownfdl.com

By buying local you will receive the freshest vegetables possible. Many items are picked right before they leave in the morning for farmers markets.

When buying local you are supporting a small business in your community.

Swipe at the Information Booth on the corner of 2nd and Main.

Double your $10 EBT swipe on the 1st Saturday of each month!

Uses Eggplant can be puréed, roasted, used as a dip, put into soups, grilled, stuffed or used in a stir fry.

Eggplant is very healthy for you as it has a lot of vitamins and minerals as well as phytonutrients, which have antioxidant properties.

Nutrition Facts Fat free

Sodium free

Good source of fiber

Excellent source of Vita-mins K, B1, B6, and B3

Cholesterol free

Easy Eggplant Stir Fry

Try It!

Instructions

Place eggplant, zucchini, green bell pepper, onions and salad dressing into a skillet.

Stir lightly to combine and cook over low heat until tender.

Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-5 minutes. Serve over cooked brown

The ancient ancestors of eggplant grew wild in India and were first cultivated in China in the 5th Century B.C. Eggplant was introduced to Africa before the Middle Ages and then into Italy, the country with which it has long been associated, in the 14th century.

It then spread throughout Europe and the Middle East. Centuries later it was brought to the Western Hemisphere by European explorers. Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant.

Ingredients

2 eggplants (peeled and cubed)

1 zucchini (thinly sliced)

1 cup green/yellow bell pepper (cut

into strips)

2 onion (sliced)

3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

(low fat)

2 cups cherry tomatoes

FoodWIse is funded by the USDA Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP/FoodShare helps families buy the food they need for good health. Visit access.wi.gov to learn how to apply for food assistance or call 1-888-446-1239

Veggie Bites brochures created by Jennifer Blazek, Extension Dane County. Primary Sources: University of Nebraska—Lincoln Extension; 5 to 9 a Day for Heath program at www.5aday.gov; http://simple-nourished-living.com "An AA/EEO employer, UW-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX and ADA requirements”